Subsurface wireline system



United States Patent 3,517,736 SUBSURFACE WIRELINE SYSTEM Stoddard S. Waldron, Woodland Hills, Calif., assiguor to North American Rockwell Corporation Filed July 18, 1968, Ser. No. 745,832 Int. Cl. E21b 33/035 U.S. Cl. 166.5

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A hollow chamber is connected to one end of a pipe section. The other end of the pipe is affixed with a connector for connecting the pipe to an underwater wellhead. A valve is interposed in the pipe section to separate the communication path between the chamber and the wellhead. Mounted within the chamber is a cable reel containing a length of cable and means for winding and unwinding the cable from the reel. Afiixed to one end of the cable is a well cleaning tool which is normally stored in the pipe section. A lubricator is positioned in the pipe section between the tool and the chamber to lubricate the cable, thereby minimizing any wear that may take place. The chamber is connected to a surface vessel by a lowering cable with power and control being remotely accomplished from the surface through hydraulic and/or electrical lines extending to the system.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention pertains to the underwater oil well servicing art and more particularly to wireline servicing de vices.

In the oil well servicing art presently used on shorebased facilities, a cleaning tool is lowered into the well production tube on the end of a long cable. The tool is designed to remove parafiin and other deposits, which normally collect on the inner walls of an operating tubing.

When offshore well drilling became practical, many of the techniques that had been applied with success to onshore facilities were applied to offshore facilities. The wireline technique was used by lowering the tool and cable from the surface into the well. For various reasons, this is an unsatisfactory method of attacking the problem. The to-be-described system was invented to solve the problem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The system is comprised of a hollow chamber which is connected at one end to a section of pipe. Affixed to one end of the pipe is a remotely activated connector for connecting the pipe section to the Well tubing, thereby forming a sealed path from the chamber to the well tubing. A reel storing a length of cable thereon is mounted within the chamber with one end of the cable connected to a tool which is normally stored in the pipe. Means are connected to the reel to wind and unwind the cable in order to raise and lower the tool in the well. The chamber is pressurized to prevent any flow of liquid from the well to enter into the chamber. A lubricator is positioned within the section of pipe between the chamber and the remote connector to lubricate the cable as it is passed up and down in the well. A valve is interposed in the pipe section to cut the chamber off from any external flow. A ballast may be affixed around the pipe section or hollow chamber to facilitate handling of the system underwater by a submarine.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved wireline system.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a dry wireline system for use underwater.

12 Claims It is a further object of the present invention to provide an underwater wireline system which is operated remotely from the surface.

The aforementioned and other objects of the present invention will become more apparent and better understood when taken in conjunction with the following description and drawings, throughout which like characters indicate like parts, and which drawings form a part of this application.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Referring to FIG. 1, the surface vessel 10 supports the wireline system 14, from the surface, by means of a cable 12. Electrical control and power lines 16, along with hydraulic control lines 18, extend upward from the system to the surface vessel. A submarine may be used to align the system in place and to open and close control valves, if needed. The wireline system is affixed to an underwater well 22 by means of a remotely operated connector 24, such as the type manufactured and sold by the Cameron Iron Works, Inc., of Houston, Tex. Another type of connector which may also be used is disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,071,188 entitled Remotely Controlled Latch for Well Tools, by G. M. Raulins.

The valve controls the access path between the wireline system 14 and the well 22. The wireline system 14 is comprised, in part, of a hollow chamber 28, aflixed to one end of an elongated cylindrical member 26, which may be a section of pipe. A valve 32 is interposed in member 26 to isolate the inner portion of chamber 28. A ballast means 34 is connected to the system 14 to increase or decrease its buoyancy in order to facilitate handling by the submarine 20. For example, addition of a negative buoyant material along the elongated cylindrical member 26 would be undertaken when the overall assembly was positively buoyant, and a positive buoyancy would be added to the upper portion of chamber 28, when the system was negatively buoyant.

Referring to FIG. 2-within hollow chamber 28, there is mounted a reel on which a wireline 42 is stored for use. A means 43 is provided for rotating the reel to either wind or to unwind the line 42. An electric motor may be used to perform this function. Power to operate means 43 is brought into the chamber 28 by means of the power and control cable 16. Standard waterproof connectors may be used to bring the electrical lines through the wall of the chamber. Control of the motor is effected through the power and control cable at the water surface.

The wireline 42, or cable, extends into the elongated member 26 and has affixed to its end a tool. Additional weights may also be affixed to force the tool into the well pipe. The tool may, for example, be a scraper for cleaning paratfin from the inner surfaces of well pipe.

A lubricator 44 is afiixed in place inside member 26 and in contact with the wireline 42. Lubricator 44 may be a packing type material which is saturated with a lubricant. It applies a coating of lubricant to cut down the friction of the wireline where it comes into contact with the pipe walls. A circular squeegee 45 may be used to wipe excess oil or other contaminants from the line when the line is moved upward for storage on the reel. An indicator switch 46 may be used to provide an indication to an operator located at the surface when the tool has returned to the stored position.

An air charging line 50 is connected to the inner portion of the chamber 28 to enable the chamber to be pressurized.

In operation of the system, the system is first prepared on the surface by putting a desired tool on the wireline, closing of the valve 32 and charging the chamber 28 with compressed air through the air line 50', to a pressure slightly above the expected oil pressure to be encountered at the well riser connection. The system is then lowered on cable 12 from the surface vessel. The submarine 20 assists in positioning the connector 24 into alignment with the well pipe. After correct alignment, the connector is activated through the hydraulic lines 18, from the surface, and the entire assembly is locked into position on the well.

The submarine then turns valves 32 and 30 to allow the tool to be placed in the well. The air pressure in the chamber prevents the oil from forcing its way into the chamber. The valves 32 and 30 may be of the remote operating type which would eliminate the need for the submarine to do that job. Also, the hydraulic lines .18 and the electrical control and power lines 16 may be of the plug-in type which would be of particular advantage if, for example, an underwater servicing satellite were used to provide the required power instead of a surface vessel.

While there has been shown what is considered to be the preferred embodiment of the present invention, it will be manifest that many changes and modifications may be made therein, without departing from the essential spirit of the invention. It is intended, therefore, in the annexed claims, to cover all such changes as may fall within the true scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A wireline system comprising in combination:

(a) a hollow chamber;

(b) an elongated hollow member disposed vertically and connected at the upper end to said hollow chamber so that said chamber is disposed over said member;

(c) valve means disposed near the lower end of said member for sealing and unsealing said hollow member and said hollow chamber;

(d) a tool positioned in said elongated member and designed to move freely along said member;

(e) a reel affixed for rotation within said hollow chamber;

(f) wireline stored on said reel, one end of said line connected to said tool; and

(g) means disposed within said chamber for rotating said reel to allow said tool to drop from said elongated member when said valve means is open.

2. The invention according to claim 1 and further comprising:

(a) lubricating means attached to the inner part of said hollow member and in contact with said wireline to transmit a lubricant to said line.

3. The invention according to claim 1 and further comprising:

(a) a connector aifixed to the other end of said elongated hollow member to attach said member to an underwater oil well.

4. The invention according to claim 1 and further comprising:

(a) a ballast member affixed to said system to adjust the buoyancy of said system.

5. The invention according to claim 1 and further comprising:

(a) valve means affixed to said hollow chamber for receiving a pressurized gas in order to pressurize said hollow chamber and said hollow elongated member.

6. In combination:

(a) a surface vessel;

(b) a hollow chamber;

(c) an elongated chamber connected with said hollow chamber;

(d) means for suspending said hollow chamber from said surface vessel;

(e) a tool adapted to slide within said elongated chamber, and means for controllably moving said tool in and out of said elongated chamber;

(f) means for connecting said elonagted chamber to an underwater well to allow said tool to move in and out of said oil well;

(g) valve means affixed to said hollow chamber for receiving a pressurized gas in order to pressurize said hollow chamber and said hollow elongated member to keep water from said hollow chamber.

7. The invention according to claim 6 wherein the diameter of said hollow chamber is substantially greater than the diameter of said elongated chamber.

8. The invention according to claim 6 wherein said means for controllably moving said tool is comprised of:

(a) a reel;

(b) a cable adapted to be rolled on said reel, one end of said cable attached to said tool; and

(c) means for controllably rotating said reel.

9. The invention according to claim 8 and further comprising:

(a) lubricating means attached to the inner part of said hollow elongated member and in contact with said wireline to transmit a lubricant to said line.

10. The invention according to claim 9 and further comprising:

(a) a squeegee positioned in said hollow elongated member for wiping excess fluids from said cable when said cable is reeled in.

11. In combination:

a surface vessel;

a hollow chamber;

an elongated chamber connected with said hollow chamber;

means for suspending said hollow chamber from said surface vessel;

a tool adapted to slide within said elongated chamber, and means for controllably moving said tool in and out of said elonagted chamber;

means for connecting said elongated chamber to an underwater well to allow said tool to move in and out of said oil well;

said means for controllably moving said tool comprising:

a reel,

a cable adapted to be rolled on said reel, one end of said cable attached to said tool, and

means for controllably rotating said reel; and

lubricating means attached to the inner part of said hollow elongated member and in contact with said wireline to transmit a lubricant to said line.

12. The invention according to claim 11 further comprising:

a squeegee positioned in said hollow elongated member for wiping excess fluids from said cable when said cable is reeled in.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,810,439 10/ 1957 McCullough et al l6677 3,022,822 2/ 1962 McStravick et al l6677 X 3,360,042 12/1967 Marion 166--.6 3,372,745 3/1968 Holmes 166-.6 3,412,789 11/1968 Ralph et al 166-6 3,415,317 12/1968 Drivet 166.6

STEPHEN J. NOVOSAD, Primary Examiner R. E. FAVREAU, Assistant Examiner 0 U.S. Cl. X.R. 

